While Caroline Was Growing

ng pleasurably the unaccustomed asphalt, the fresh damp of the river and the watered bridle path. The starched ties at the

and watched with patronizing interest the mysterious jumping of young persons wi

to the yellow rings beneath his cap frill; he flapped his hands, emitting soft, vague sounds. At such times a wake of admiration bubbled behind him. Delia, who propelled his carriage,

nkled in the sun, the tugs and barges glided down, the yachts strained their white sails against the purple bluffs of the Palisades. To the right towered the long, unbroken rows of brick

om's eyelids could one ascertain that they were flesh and blood. Young girls, two, three, and four, cantered by; their linen habits rose and fell decorously, their hair was smooth. Mounted policemen, glorious in buttons, breathing out authority, curvetted past, and everywhere and alwa

ing patience, of angry threatening, marked their slow progress up and down the walk; in the clear spaces of the little park they trotted freely after hoops and balls, rolled and ran over the green, and hid, shouting, behind the bushes. It was a giant nursery, and the m

to a degree. Far from resenting the authority she would have scorned at home, she derived an intense satisfaction from it, and pranced ostentatiously beside the perambul

e the red one best? So does Delia. We'll come over here, and then you won't get the sun in your precious eyes. Do you want me to push you frontwards, so you can see me? (Watch him look at me

r skates. The road was clear for a block. Delia, with a quick glance to left and right, lowered the peram

, there!

as chalk, under a black moustache and staring goggles, and another face, Delia's, white too, with eyes more strained and terrible than the goggles themselves. One second that look swept her and Miss Honey, and then, shifting, fell upon the General strapped securely into his carriage. Even as Caroline caught her breath, he flew by her like an arrow, his blue eyes round with surprise under a whirl of white parasol, the wicker body of the perambulator swayin

s down!" That

shrill voice pierced

ing twisted fast in Miss Honey's hand. Instantly they were surrounded by a crowd of

n't let the children see

see if she's alive. Have

thy, you just stop by me, o

ing her head! M

the crowd. Against the curb, puffing and grinding, stood the great red engine; on the front seat a tall policeman sat, one w

ted monotonously, with set lips, "the doctor's co

striped blue and white skirt that lay motionless on the

e ran f

she gulped. "Is

ooked up from where he knelt b

iskly; "is this your nurse? See, she's op

head moved a little from side to side, the lips parted slightly. A nervous fear seized her and she turned to run away; but she remembered suddenly how kind Delia had been to her; how that very morning-it seemed so long

as the eyes opened and stared stupidly at the r

ittle man softly, "she

e leane

a muttered. "Wh

tle man

what she mean

tted her br

y. "That's the baby. Oh," as she

rriage," and a woman breathing heavily, crowded through the

man fumbled at the strap, he picked the baby out n

ind roughness in his voice. "Safe and sound-

ice kept clear for them, paused a moment to stare, while the little doctor held his breath and the ambulance c

he cried, and buried her

faces twisted, but the little

sharply. "Now the other

a white jacket, who had jumped

possible. I saw the thing go over her. Right ove

s-the other lit

voice, and Caroline s

ight, Delia-

, pale, but conscious of her dramatic value,

lator. "You have undoubtedly saved the lives of all three of these children, and their parents will appreciate it, you may be sure. The way you sent that baby wagon f

ia of the woman in the automobile, who clutched her companion, weeping and laughing. The chauffeur sa

ned on the handle she pushed, and the chug-chug of the great c

but three of them, you see, and we'll just step in here a moment. I don't know what house it is, but

ad pressed the button, and a ma

ient of mine-Dr. Gibbs, West Forty-ninth Street-and though she's very plucky and perfectly uninjured, I want her to rest a moment in the hall here and have a drink of wate

, the General's smart, if diminutive, apparel, and the un

ill be all right, sir, I'm sure. Thank you, sir. Sit down,

The little doctor looked around him apprec

down. You're no trouble at all, and Madame Nicola knows who I am-if she remembers. I sprayed her throat once, if I'm not mistaken-she was on a tour, at Pitt

a's eyes, but she controlled her voice, and only said huskily, "Come here, Miss Honey, and let me b

man grabbed me and tore my guimpe-see! I wish you'd told

bed-look at my cheek!" Caroline's lips began

won't you sit still, please? You hurt Delia's knees,

has something for you up there. I'll take the baby," as Delia's eyes measured th

n the rail, "and he's only eight months last week," wi

Here is the nurse, Madame, and th

oom had been taken bodily from Italian palaces of the most unimpeachable Renaissance variety. With quick intuition, she immediately recognized a background for many a tale of co

aw it all. You ought to be very proud of your quick wits. I have some sher

neral staring curiously about him. "It wasn't anything

a wonderful colored decanter with wee sparkling tu

ed politely. "She only drinks water-somet

e Princess returned, noticing Caroline for the

faded wine-colored velvet, and addressed the Princ

s, prepared in private some time before, "and I'll tell you why. Delia knew a nurse once that drank some beer, and th

to a maid who appeared at that moment

, "and what may I give you-milk, perhaps? I

Miss Honey returned primly, "we had so

while Delia drank her water and smiled her thanks at the maid. Suddenly it came to her. It was not like a person talki

t seats are rather stiff," said the Princess, and Delia, protesting, was made comfortable in a large cu

g which Miss Honey and Caroline regarded her with a placid interest, and De

m, last week-eight month

ursued the lady. "I suppose they don

, "You'll be surprised. Just watch him, n

h trembled, widened, his eyelids crinkled, and then he smiled delightfully, straight into the eyes of the nurse, stretched up a wav

tively, and moved with a sta

y," she said, but De

with a shiver, and hiding her face in

ously and looked at the inlaid floor. Caroline shared thes

shyly, "when she thinks about-about what

in the radiance. With her long brown eyes still holding Caroline's round ones,

kinged legs. Seen from the rear he had the appearance of a neat, if excited, package, unaccountably frilled

arge nickel watch hanging from her belt, under the apron. "It's down in th

get the-the bottle from the baby's carriage and

m." Delia spoke with repressed scor

ated, or," as the nurse half rose, "perhaps you would

'em they're apt to be a little careless, and I wouldn't have it break, and

he moved toward them again. "I will hold it," with a half grimace at her own condesc

gain as the little creature leaned forward to

o any one-yes, indeed-but I feel so sort of nervous, I think I'd better ta

but affectionate grin upon the wearer of the fascinating, swaying

twenty, thirty, or is it forty dollars

ctually want to hold it! It seems a jolly little rat-th

Honey too

unced didactically, "they cry, but not a well baby, Delia says.

cess. "That must have been-

oined airily, with such an adult i

Caroline volunteered, "unless you tease him,

us of the lady's flashing smile to Caroline,

said carelessly, "though you particular three are certainly amusing little duds-f

rtainly; her skirts, her size and her coiled hair proved that conclusively, and the servants obeyed her without question. But what was it? She was not like the other grown up people one knew. One moment she sparkled at you and the next moment she forgot you. It was perfec

s air of patronage, that she said, as one making allowances for inexperien

in bed," Miss Honey added encouragingly. "My mother sa

traight dark eyebrows quive

married,

an utter

ns," she went on, "but it's not necessary to set up

Caroline, after an astonished stare at the Prince

cessarily irritated, and as a matter of fact embarrassed her guests to such an extent that t

paced rapidly up and down the room, looking mo

ou little sillies!" she cried. "I su

Miss Honey examined

known voice floa

it a minute, only a minute now, Ge

ng a tiny white coat, the man in livery bearing a small copper saucepan in which he

he General flat across her knees, and amid the excited silence of her audience, shook the b

k alternation, chirping and clucking, as she held it up before him; an ecstatic wriggling pervaded him, and he chuckled unctuously. A moment later only his deep

glancing at the butler, giggled impressibly as

erself, and the two servants withdrew. Delia noted nothing, her eyes fixed on her charge; clearly,

ntially at the Princess; "I didn't know but being in a strange

fting him, still horizonta

enty minutes, please. I'll go and take the bottle down, and get his

and offered him her finger tentatively. "I never held one before," she explained. "I-I don

t never cry?" This she said half to herself, and Caroline and Miss Honey, knowing there was no need

tly, and the General smiled impartially

perfectly exquisite skin!" she said, and

ferent!" she murmured. "I thoug

r hand, and was examining the square

hing. "You sprinkle 'em all over with violet powder-just like doughnuts with sugar-and kiss 'em. Some p

bent over t

alf fearfully, with an inquiring glance

it. My mother tried again and again-could I take that blue ring a minute? I'd b

p lock from the General's warm forehead and slipping her ring

ing around her finger. "He only likes two people to sing-D

he explained politely, "except that my Aunt Deedee is a very good singer in

s stared at

that whimsical expressive way. "You don't think I c

arm, she brushed aside a

"a real one. She used to sing in concerts-real ones. In theatres

that, and it was five dollars to get in. It was to send the poor children to a

th one swift motion in the basket chair. Striding across the room

she said haughtily, "an

de a portière and disappeared. A crashing chord rolled o

sing her voice, it seemed, and yet they heard her a

Own Heart,'" Miss Hone

song, 'To Madame Edith

t-stool and followed the music, unconscious that she walked. She had been privileged to hear more good singing in her eight years than most people have in twenty-four, had Miss Honey, and she knew that this was no ordinary occasion. She did not know

t climbed the melody; one last t

heart-my hear

n the echoes of her glory, her b

raight at Miss Honey, "do I

caught her breath. Her heart was

ned blindly to Carol

e began sullenly; but the

e," she insiste

ney fac

gulped, "but I love her better, and she's

Caroline ran to her: how could she have loved that cruel woman? She cast an ugly look at t

tanding up for your mother. There's no one to do as much for me, when I'm down and out-no one!" Sorrow swept o

pt, too, and even the General, abandoned in t

ss was upon him, and had ra

e thing," she whispered, and sank into

as Delia entered, her arms out. "I'm g

she said, as one allowing a great privilege,

o him?" the Princes

ly, Sweet Afton,'" the nurse

sort of glorified humming, like a great

nd Delia recited them, as a moth

ice and pressing the Gener

eet Afton, among

l sing thee a so

at Delia should not see her tears, it seemed as if Delia herself, a wonderful new Delia, were singing her, a baby again, to s

e in a blue and white apron-not Delia, for Delia was singing-leaned back slowly in the long basket chair and closed her tired eyes? Who was it t

eep by thy mur

et Afton, distur

smiled confidingly into the dark eyes above him and stretched himself out in full-fed, drowsy content. One hand slipped thro

butler and the maid s

e whispered, and Had

e old country," he said. "There wa

he clenched and uncurled his warm hands. Sometimes he sucked softly at nothing, with m

eep by thy mur

m back to childhood and a child's protected sleep. It seemed a song that could not stop, that m

t at sight of Caroline stretched, full length, across the threshold. The older and smaller of

ordt! Mein Gott! but it is marvellous! A voice of velve

rawn curtains, and wit

spered. "Oh, but listen, listen! And I offered her

in his turn, and seizing Caroline by the

ng of this?" he whispered h

es. The golden voice r

ed against him. He lifted her limp little

the other man, "I-we cannot talk

d longingly a

. Never!" he hissed. "Oh, my friend, h

y, "not a vordt! Not a vordt! M

er sternly, "Sh! sh! Listen to me. To-day you hear a great artist-hey? Will you forget it? I must go because they do not

d looked long thr

one thrown in the stream, the song of the Princess softened and

tly, swee

wrapping his arm about her as he knelt, hid his face on her lap, against the General. She laid her hand on his head, across the warm little body, and patted it tenderly. Around them lay the s